- Police confirmed that Siyabonga and Malusi Ndimande were handed over by Eswatini authorities and flown to South Africa under tight security on Tuesday morning.
- The brothers face 24 charges, including murder, conspiracy and money laundering, for their alleged role in the killing of AKA and Tibz in Durban.
High-risk South African Police Service officers are escorting the Ndimande brothers from Eswatini to South Africa after their formal handover by local authorities.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the operation is part of a coordinated security plan.
"The two suspects face 24 charges, including the murder of rapper Kiernan 'AKA' Forbes and his friend Tebello 'Tibz' Motsoane," Mathe said.
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The brothers, Siyabonga Gezani Ndimande and Malusi Dave Ndimande, were arrested in Mbabane in February 2024 after a regional manhunt.
Their extradition was approved by Eswatini's High Court after they dropped their appeal against being sent back to South Africa.
Police say the pair are part of a larger group linked to several murders and attempted murders across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The charges include conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of automatic firearms and ammunition, and money laundering.
AKA and Tibz were shot dead outside a restaurant on Florida Road in Durban on 10 February 2023. The attack, caught on CCTV, shocked fans across the country.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola thanked Eswatini authorities for working closely with SAPS to ensure the extradition happened without incident.
The brothers are expected to appear in a KwaZulu-Natal court later today alongside others already facing trial.
Security has been tightened around their transfer, with armed units from the Tactical Response Team and the National Intervention Unit guarding the flight from King Mswati International Airport to South Africa.
